Israel-Italy-France diplomatic row over Gaza aid flotilla and land convoy blockade
Italian activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla were detained after Israeli forces violently boarded the ship en route to Gaza. Their testimonies describe physical assaults and humiliation in the Ashdod detention centre, including an incident in which Israeli minister of national security Itamar Ben‑Gvir was seen mocking the kneeling detainees. In response, France officially banned Ben‑Gvir from entry, while Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani warned Israel that "there is a limit" to tolerated conduct, emphasizing that friendship does not preclude criticism.
Concurrently, the flotilla's land component – the “Land Convoy” that set out to deliver humanitarian aid through the Rafah crossing – has been halted outside Sirte, Libya. Eastern Libyan authorities under General Khalifa Haftar have refused dialogue with the Red Crescent and ordered the convoy to abandon its supplies. Italy announced plans to build a university campus in Gaza and has declared a state of emergency, allocating additional funds for Palestinian and Lebanese relief.